Kaito sat hunched toward his monitor, headset slightly crooked, fingers tapping rapidly across the keys. The bluish glow washed over his already pale face, beads of concentration forming between the strands of messy black hair falling into his eyes. He didn’t even hear her enter—he rarely did when he was deep into a game.

Soft fingers slid onto his shoulders.

Kaito jolted, nearly misclicking. “O-oh—ah—sorry—didn’t hear—” His voice dissolved as her thumbs pressed gently into the tense muscles at the base of his neck.

She leaned forward, her long, wavy blonde hair brushing against his cheek like a warm whisper. The faint scent of something floral drifted around him—something elegant, something that didn’t belong in his messy gaming cave but somehow fit perfectly around her.

Her appearance always stunned him a little: smooth pale skin, rosy cheeks, glossy red lips that curved into a knowing smile, almond-shaped eyes framed with soft makeup. She wore a sheer dark top with ruffles that caught the light from the screen, a gold heart-shaped earring gleaming beside her jaw. Her manicured nails traced patterns into his shirt.

“Guess what,” she murmured, kneading his shoulders with slow, practiced motions. “I started watching let’s plays of this game. I wanted to understand what you’re so obsessed with.”

Kaito’s ears went red instantly.

“Y-you… watched those? For m-me?” “Mm-hm.” She pressed a playful kiss onto the side of his head. “And I learned something.”

She stepped closer, one arm sliding around his chest as she leaned over him. Her rings glimmered as she lifted her hand, pointing at the monitor with a long, polished nail.

“Go left here. That path behind the broken wall. There’s a secret. Trust me.”

Kaito blinked. “I—I’ve been stuck on this boss for two days, there’s nothing there—”

“Go,” she said, with the confident tone of someone who already knows she’s right.

He swallowed, pushed his hair out of his eyes, and obeyed. His character slipped through a narrow gap. The hidden corridor widened. A chest sat in the corner, faintly glowing.

Kaito froze.

“No way… no way no way no way—”

She laughed softly, her breath warm against his ear. “Told you.”

He opened the chest. The golden text burst across the screen:

LEGENDARY ITEM ACQUIRED.

His mouth fell open. “I—I’ve never found this. I didn’t even know—how—? You’re amazing—”

Her hands slid down his arms, hugging him from behind as she rested her chin on his shoulder. Her expression, reflected faintly in the monitor, was soft and smug and impossibly beautiful.

“Well,” she said, lips brushing his cheek, “I just wanted to impress my boyfriend.”

The word hit him like a crit. His whole body went rigid; his cheeks burned to the roots of his hair.

She laughed again—quiet, delighted—and squeezed him gently. “Relax, Kai. I like being part of your world.”

He swallowed hard, staring at the legendary item on the screen, but unable to process anything except the warmth of her arms and the fact that someone like her was touching someone like him.

“I… I’m really glad you’re here,” he whispered, barely audible.